Max Verstappen has firmly rejected swirling rumors that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner could be on the brink of dismissal, calling the speculation baseless and out of touch with reality — particularly as the team celebrates a historic milestone this weekend at Imola.
With Red Bull enduring their toughest start to a Formula 1 season since 2019, questions have surfaced over the leadership of the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Though Verstappen took a solitary win in Japan, the reigning Constructors’ Champions find themselves a staggering 141 points behind McLaren in the standings, with the Dutchman himself trails Oscar Piastri by 32 points in the Drivers' Championship.
Such a decline in performance has reignited speculation not only about Verstappen’s future, but also about Horner’s position.
Some reports suggested that Red Bull's leadership was evaluating Horner’s future depending on the effectiveness of the team’s upgrade package at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
But Verstappen made it clear that his focus is on improving performance, not on paddock gossip.
Quashing the Speculation
Speaking to F1 TV ahead of the race weekend, Verstappen shot down the growing whispers of a potential leadership change.
“Honestly, I have no idea where they come from, to be honest,” he said. “Naturally, I don’t really follow a lot of that all.
“So people ask me questions as well about that and I’m like, ‘honestly, I really don’t know who even puts that in the world’.”
Christian Horner with Red Bull GmbH Managing Director Oliver Mintzlaff.
Verstappen’s blunt dismissal underscores a driver more concerned with lap times than tabloid headlines.
“Of course, I think naturally as a team we’re not entirely happy with how we are performing, but we’re also working on trying to be more competitive,” he continued. “But naturally, if you ask everyone this question, I think no one is happy or satisfied with their performance.
“You always want to be better, you want to perform more. That’s what we try to do. So these rumours, they don’t mean anything.”
Strange Timing as Horner and Red Bull Celebrate Milestone
The timing of the rumors appears particularly bizarre given this weekend marks Horner’s 400th Grand Prix in charge of Red Bull Racing — an unprecedented feat in modern F1 team management.
The Briton who took charge of the squad as its team principal at just 31 in 2005, has led Red Bull through every single one of those races, overseeing a golden era that brought eight Drivers’ Championships, six Constructors’ titles, and more than 120 wins.
Read also: Verstappen opens up on ‘Franz Hermann’ Nordschleife secret GT3 runRed Bull GmbH has planned official celebrations in Imola to commemorate both the team’s 400th race start and Horner’s leadership longevity – making the idea of his potential sacking in the aftermath of the weekend the more implausible.
While Red Bull may be facing a dip in form, both Horner and Verstappen remain focused on righting the ship, not trading headlines. For now, any talk of departures appears to be just that – talk.
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